Plant Quality Manager

Reports to: Plant Superintendent

About the Role

This position is responsible for leading Continuous Improvement initiatives at the plant. The Quality Manager provides leadership, planning, technical direction, communication, and coaching to ensure safe production of high-quality products that meet customer needs in the most cost-effective manner. The role acts as the leader and driver of all quality initiatives for the plant location, partnering with manufacturing, sales, design teams, vendors, and customers to meet internal and external quality requirements. Travel will be required.

Responsibilities

• Directs the Quality Management System at the plant.
• Assists with Quality and Process Improvement for multi-sites where a Specialties Plant is located.
• Trains and educates the organization and implements continuous improvement methodologies such as 6 Sigma, 5S, Lean, and Operational Excellence (OE).
• Drives Continuous Improvement to quantitatively and qualitatively improve costs, quality, and service.
• Drives plant accountabilities in tracking vendor performance, resolving and dispositioning customer complaints, investigating critical quality defects on in-process and finished products, and generating and analyzing quality data and reports.
• Ensures all customer feedback is promptly addressed, and complaints are acted upon using root cause analysis and corrective action.
• Supports safety as a top priority in training, job design, and regulatory compliance.
• Supports HR with Quality employees' performance issues or interviewing of Quality techs.
• Ensures product quality by establishing and managing systems for “right first time” performance and incorporating this philosophy in continuous improvement teams.
• Focuses on plant-wide issues and inter-plant initiatives, including developing synergies and business opportunities to optimize other manufacturing plants.

Skills and Attributes

• Leadership and Management: Systemic problem solver; implements solutions to address root causes. Inspires team spirit and loyalty. Handles multiple, complex priorities and balances needs according to business impact. Strong business and technical skills in processing, packaging, and logistics.
• Coaching, Motivating, and Mentoring: Sets expectations, tracks and communicates results, and creates an environment of accountability. Understands and uses individual and team development tools. Confident in giving employees space to learn and make mistakes.
• Communication: Strong written, oral, and communication skills. Excellent listener with the ability to translate operational issues into corrective action procedures.
• Continuous Improvement: Creative and change-oriented with strong process skills. High ability to learn. High energy, assertive, energetic, and self-starter.

Requirements

• College degree in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, or equivalent work experience.
• Experience in a variety of manufacturing areas (production, logistics).
• Experience in quality system management or manufacturing/corrugated leadership preferred.
• Competent with MS Office and statistical software.
• Previous ISO certification desired.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification desired.
• Minimum of three years of experience in a related field; knowledge of LEAN manufacturing, ISO, and Six Sigma preferred.
• Computer literacy: Proficient with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
• High school graduate or equivalent with related college degree and/or technical courses or associate (two-year) college degree.

Mathematical Skills

• Able to read a tape measure with speed and accuracy.
• Able to calculate figures and amounts such as percentages, measurement, volume, and rate.
• Able to apply concepts of high school math.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to walk, talk, and hear.
• Frequently required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to sit.
• Must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Vision requirements: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, and fumes or airborne particles.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually loud.